Drama in the seven-meter throw – Magdeburg moves into the final
Pure joy after the big win: The SC Magdeburg handball players are in the final of the Champions League
Source: dpa/Marius Becker
In 2002, SC Magdeburg was the first German handball club to win the Champions League. A good two decades later, after reaching the final, history can repeat itself. Against Barcelona, the SC has to tremble until the last throw.
Dhe handball players of SC Magdeburg are only one step away from the second Champions League triumph in the club’s history. Coach Bennet Wiegert’s team, who was a player when the first title was won 21 years ago, defeated record winners and defending champions FC Barcelona 40:39 (38:38, 31:31, 16:16) in a dramatic semi-final on Saturday in Cologne. 18) after throwing seven meters and now grabs the pot.
However, the SCM is worried about backcourt ace Gisli Kristjansson. Supported by helpers, the Icelander stumbled out of the sold-out arena with around 20,000 fans four minutes before the end of regular time. The final opponent was then determined between Paris Saint-Germain and the Polish champions Industria Kielce with the German national goalkeeper Andreas Wolff.
From the start, Magdeburg was at eye level and didn’t let the Spanish series champion pull away. The German runners-up took the first lead at 7:6 (11th minute), which was mainly due to the unerring Michael Damgaard. The Danish world champion scored a total of eight goals and, alongside Kay Smits (11 goals), was his team’s best thrower.
In the middle of the first half, SCM fell behind by two goals for the first time (11:13), but was not impressed by this and remained close. After the change, Magdeburg, who are taking part in the Final4 tournament for the first time, came out of the dressing room with renewed energy and managed a two-goal lead for the first time at 24:22. But even then it remained a close match in which both teams gave nothing and delivered an open exchange of blows until the end. In the final duel of nerves, the SCM had the better end for itself.